1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to assemblies used in hospitals companies and apartment buildings as part of the directory, and more specifically, to a film strip assembly for selectively retaining a film strip therein used in such directories.
2. Prior Art
In many large apartment buildings, hotels, companies and the like, there is a directory of all the parties and/or locations of various places within the building. For example, upon entry into a building, there is usually a directory indicating all the tenants located in the building, where various stores and shops are, and signs indicating the direction of where the stores and shops are located. Many of these directories are backlighted, i.e., the names appear on the front of the directory and are lit from behind so as to cause the name or other information to be readily visible. One problem associated with this type of prior art directory is the specific type of assembly used to display each of the names, locations and the like in the building. For example, the prior art has used name plates made of strips of cardboard, metal, film and the like with the desired information cut out such that light could pass therethrough. The strip was placed in the directory without any assembly to hold it in position. In such a prior art directory, when a tenant or store moved, or changed its name, it was necessary to remove the strip indicating such name and replace it with a new strip containing the new information. This required that the name plate be entirely removed and replaced with another plate. Such plates are expensive and can be easily scratched or bent when they are being inserted especially if made of a film material.
While the back-lit type directory produces good visual results, the problems associated with strips of film have led to the use of non-backlit type directories where each name is embossed on a metal or cardboard strip and inserted into the directory. This type of directory is not as visually appealing, and again suffers from the problem of requiring new strips when a party's name or other information was being changed. These strips are relatively expensive thus diminishing wide acceptance of such a system.
The present invention is directed toward a uniquely designed film carrier assembly which holds a relatively inexpensive strip of film having the necessary information disposed thereon, which film carrier assembly permits the rapid and easy change of name, and which securely and safely retains the strip of film therein. Thus, the film carrier assembly of the present invention provides a simple, yet effective solution to the aforementioned problems associated with prior art directory and name location indicators.